The Next Big Thing: WEARABLES

Posted on 26/06/2014

We are very pleased to announce that we have put active navigation on your wrist as one of the first apps to be Android Wear™ enabled and ready-to-run on smart watches from LG and Motorola!

Android Wear powers a smart watch and provides notifications from different apps, and ViewRanger is among the first developers in the world to make its app Android Wear enabled, allowing a range of vital data to be accessed and viewed quickly on the watch.

Our support for Android Wear goes beyond basic static notifications: A simple glance at ViewRanger running on your Android wearable will provide information on where you are and where you are going without needing to fish your smartphone out of a backpack or pocket.

This includes directions for navigation such as your current coordinates, altitude, heading, plus distance to the next waypoint, point of interest, or to the end of the route as well as information about your trip such as the duration, distance travelled, height gained and lost. It also integrates graphical elements such as a large navigation arrow that uses the compass sensor within the smart watch, to update whenever you change direction, and youcan start/stop your track with a simple tap on the watch screen.

Craig Wareham, co-founder of ViewRanger says:

“Android Wear does not aim to replicate the smartphone experience, instead it offers a new way to access time-sensitive information. We think that people will soon get used to checking their wrist for a range of information keeping their smartphone in a pocket or backpack for when a larger screen is required.

There is a lot of convenience in having instant, hands-free access to ViewRanger data. For many sports and outdoor activities such as mountain-biking, climbing, air-sports, and kayaking you want and need to keep your hands free for both safety and enjoyment. This is where Android Wear transforms the app experience.”

A good example of when ViewRanger with Android Wear will come into its own is the rescue environment. We are really proud that ViewRanger is widely used by search and rescue (SAR) teams arond the world. SAR teams work on tough terrain, in the dark and in difficult weather conditions, often carrying equipment, and with ViewRanger on an Android wearable they will now be able to have these key navigation alerts coming to a watch, with the more detailed mapping available on a smartphone in their pocket, leaving their hands free for dealing with rescue equipment or a casualty.

The ViewRanger app with Android Wear support is ready and waiting for the first devices to publicly ship.